Each year on the 4th of July (or the 5th if the 4th falls on Shabbat), Ramah Wisconsin not only celebrates the birthday of the United States of America, but we also participate in our campwide Yom Sport (Sports Day). It's a day of sports, games, teamwork, and Ramah ruach (spirit)!
The event started on Sunday night with the opening ceremonies. Everyone in camp gathered on the Kikar after dinner as the team captains from Nivonim (11th grade) carried the torch across the Kikar. After the opening ceremonies, campers participated in a variety of games including dodgeball, gaga, and basketball underneath the new lights on the courts.
The games continued the next morning with everything from the traditional basketball, flag football, and floor hockey, to the more unusual greased watermelon and foot tennis. The games also included Hebrew relay races, a banner competition, song-writing, and of course, the spirit competition. Throughout the day campers were dancing on the Kikar to try to earn spirit points for their team.
After a silent lunch, everyone participated in the Apache, a huge campwide relay race. The Apache traditionally starts with one runner from each team running the length of the Garbage Trail and ends with a campfire. It includes any number of creative stations in between. Some of the stations this year included bobbing for apples, tent-building, and turning campers into mummies with toilet paper. It's always fun to watch the campers gather at the waterfront to cheer on their team in the race to get their campfires built.
After dinner the camp comes together again for the campwide talent show. Everyone had a great time watching representatives of each aidah showcase their talents. We saw singing, dancing, gymnastics, and much more. We sure have a talented camp!
Kol HaKavod to everyone who worked so hard to make the whole day such a success!
